2019 SFC draws: Dubs open away to Louth or Wexford

All-Ireland champions Dublin will open their title defence in 2019 against either Louth or Wexford

The draws for the 2019 provincial football championships have taken place tonight, throwing up some intriguing battles for next summer.

All-Ireland champions Dublin will open their title defence against either Wexford or Louth in the Leinster senior football championship, while Cian O’Neill’s Kildare side take on Wicklow in the first round for the right to face Longford in the quarter-finals.

Now under the reign of John Maughan, Offaly take on Meath in their opener with the victors facing Carlow in the last eight and the last quarter-final sees Westmeath with home advantage over last year’s beaten finalists Laois.

Out west Galway and Mayo will be fancied to book another Connacht final date after both heavyweights avoided a potential semi-final meeting in the western province.

The clashes of New York and Mayo along with London and Galway had already been predetermined before tonight’s draw, leaving Roscommon, Leitrim and Sligo to be pulled out of the hat. Terry Hyland’s Leitrim side will take on the currently manager-less Rossies in Quarter-final B, with the winners facing either New York or Mayo, while Sligo take on the winners of London and holders Galway in their respective semi-final.

In Munster, champions Kerry and Cork have been kept apart as the Kingdom will meet either Clare or Waterford in the last four, leaving Ronan McCarthy’s Rebels against the winners of Tipperary and Limerick for a final berth.

Up north, it’s an Ulster final repeat between Fermanagh and Donegal in Enniskillen while beaten All-Ireland finalists Tyrone are drawn into the preliminary round against neighbours Derry. The other side of the draw sees two more derby dates as Cavan and Monaghan will do battle once more at Kingspan Breffni and Paddy Tally’s Down side welcoming Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh to Newry.

Here are the draws in full:

Connacht SFC draw:

Quarter-final A

New York v Mayo

Quarter-final B

London v Galway

Quarter-final C

Leitrim v Roscommon

Semi-finals

New York/Mayo v Leitrim/Roscommon

London/Galway v Sligo

Leinster SFC draw:

First round

Louth v Wexford

Wicklow v Kildare

Meath v Offaly

Quarter-finals

Louth/Wexford v Dublin

Wicklow/Kildare v Longford

Meath/Offaly v Carlow

Westmeath v Laois

Semi-finals

Louth/Wexford/Dublin v Wicklow/Kildare/Longford

Meath/Offaly/Carlow v Westmeath/Laois

Munster SFC draw:

Quarter-final A

Tipperary v Limerick

Quarter-final B

Clare v Waterford

Semi-finals

Kerry v Clare/Waterford

Tipperary/Limerick v Cork

Ulster SFC draw:

Preliminary round

Tyrone v Derry

Quarter-finals

Antrim v Tyrone/Derry

Cavan v Monaghan

Down v Armagh

Fermanagh v Donegal

Semi-finals

Antrim/Tyrone/Derry v Fermanagh/Donegal

Cavan/Monaghan v Down/Armagh

There are fifteen county finals taking place this weekend with ten of those in football. Join our match tracker on Sunday afternoon for live updates from around the county grounds.